The meaning of Chinese New Year: Darwin's Lord Mayor

Darwin's Lord Mayor Katrina Fong Lim is use to being thought of as "Asian". Yet the fifth generation Chinese-Australian speaks with a broad Aussie accent, and she feels her heritage is a bonus for the city and herself in the position of Lord Mayor.

With a family background of traders, tailors and restaurant owners, the Fong Lims have a long legacy in Darwin.

"I am just who I am - I'm an Australian who has Chinese heritage which I'm very proud of incidentally," Katrina says.

"It's only when people react to me as 'oh you're Asian' that I actually think 'oh well probably that's a pretty reasonable assumption considering that yes I look Asian'.

"You can't really avoid it - it's a bit of fun, you know, otherwise you could get a bit tied up in the whole 'what is your identity'."

In the gateway city to Asia, the Darwin Lord Mayor feels right at home, and although she considers herself a true blue Aussie, she admits at this time of year, her 'Chinese side' does come out a little more.

The cultural ceremonies and rituals her family maintains - especially around the Lunar New Year - may not still hold the same level of understanding as originally intended, but they persist nonetheless.

"You can just do something because it's done - not quite sure why, it's probably got something to do with good luck, prosperity or longevity. Probably better to do them than not, I figure," Katrina says.

"Everything's about maintaining the luck or attracting the luck into your house."

Numerous rituals and rules such as not arguing on Chinese New Year day, paying your debts before the new year and giving and receiving red 'lucky' packets of money are all part of the celebrations this week.

Born in the year of the Ox, Katrina's inherent qualities are thought to be reliability and a hard working, consistent nature - qualities she thinks are of good value as Lord Mayor.

This weekend she will be celebrating the Year of the Snake's arrival in Darwin.